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Thursday 9 December. Together with single colleague’s of other sites and leaves, I might go interview on behalf of Xboxworld Lorne Lanning, the creator of Oddworld. From the Gelderse Wijchen, I left that Daan (Xboxarena) in all early hours with the train to Schiphol Airport to meet. Together flew we with Britisch Midland International to Heathrow, an airport in the neighborhood from Rewarded, where we knowledge made with Kevin (Gunk) and Pascal (Gamepro). With this four stubborn fellowship we were transported per taxi to the head office of Electronic Physician in Chersey.
To a ride over the busy English highway drove we the business park on where the office established stretch., . A large glass building doomed not for us on and much later on stood we in. Our contact person was not yet arrived with Lorne Lanning, but someone of EA Marketing caught us in the meantime on. During an extensive lunch, by which we had a large choice from various warm and cold meals,, we spoke with this gentleman over the EA falls line-plain fizzy drink of this year. He especially was to be spoken over Lord or the Rings: The Third Age, especially also because he totally lunatic is on the LOTR trilogie. That proved he with its wedding ring where at the inside in the Eleven, a spoken language in LOTR, an inscription stood.
When we our bellies followed had came Doug, an EA programmer and also our contact person, and Lorne come towards. They slid at the same time even at for the lunch and Lorne foresaw us at the same time just of a little American humor with which he self showed out over the past elections. And especially Bush must want to remain from Lorne’s! If ‘desserts’ got we a strange fruit dished up. A kind of white kiwi with a pink, hard, sharp skin and an acorn in the middle. A little bit strange, but well well.
After long watches the ‘interview time was come’ then. We counted was on a half hour per person at the most, but then our colleague of Gunk more than a hour not yet back after, begun we really suspicion to get. Kevin wanted to do to it however nothing, for Lorne talk now once many. Moreover was an extensive demonstration of Oddworld: Strangers Wrath also included through which the time easy filled became. During the waiting amused we us with the Xbox, PS2 and PC pods on which the newest EA games turned and single arcadekasten., . Meanwhile our ‘EA PR dude saw to’ Dennis for the necessary company. He mist the first flight, but came us later on really yet accompany.
After Kevin, it was to be asked the turn at Daan and me Lorne the clothes of the body, but escaped also we not an extensive demo of Oddworld: Strangers Wrath. First of all we made knowledge with the lively world of Oddworld in a western city. You walk must shoot down and bring back here around as a Stranger, a Bounty Hunter, that thus criminals for it so money to get. All sorts of kinds of bes walk in this city around and just as in RPG’s can you easy a conversation with these men enter into. The amusing of this is that the game just as there previous parts again next package sit with sarcastic humor. Here single examples by which Stranger an arbitrary character speaks to.
“You tell me where the Bounty Store is.
- Now what do I look like to you, an information kiosk? Get out of here!”
“Hey, I need to find the Bounty Store.
Yeah, you might wanna look for the big sign that says ‘Bounty Store’.”
Moreover you can talk also in yourself and can be know that very skilful as you just no longer what to do. You get then you firstly next objective to hear, what in this case the seeking of a Bounty Disturb, is where your Bounty missions can accept. Finally let he also see which bases attack Stranger can export, but it became level really interesting in the second part of the demonstration.
In the third and last part of the demonstration saw we that all that types ammo well thoroughly different effects have., . Lorne brought walked slaughtered as a Stranger a visit at a slechteriken verschuilplaats and about it then also enough living bait around, clearly to become. If a Sam Fisher approached he the bath guys carefully, but came never close to they in the neighborhood. Otherwise will he seen become and he wanted all possibilities of the game let see. Consequently crawled he in the high grass, threw a smelly animal on the ground, on which the slechterik on the stench came down. Then shot he him mercilessly finished with insecten that drawers were with electricity. In someone else example he threw a smelly animal in a fan through which the stench spread out fast and the slechteriken vacuums breastfed became. One large bloodbath! An amusing result, but as a Bounty Hunter you have at that little. Living furnish be they you namely more money on then when they already dead.
And then the real work, the defeating began of a ‘boss’. Before he began noticed Lorne already on that these boss not of before gescript is thus predictable is he not. He let self be hit deliberately just and dove then behind an object. If a kind of oerang oetang by which he on its breast wanted to knock ‘shook he the damage of self off’ what possible is meanwhile your stamina have. Stamina building you automatically on when you this consumes have. To prevent that Stranger many damage goes up can he as a horse gallop. This sees there quite dry from and sees to there also for that you from the hands of the enemy remain. Furthermore this game has yet something nicely. In the first part of the demonstration, Lorne wanted to have already at a seam lynx combination of first/third person view savage and have you both views also really necessarily. In your first person view, you use namely your cross arc with living ammo and possibly what punches, but in the third person view, Stranger real game can become and deal the necessary damage!
After this demonstration, Lorne Lanning let us at the word him from to hear over Strangers Wrath and possible plans for the future.
Has XBW: For everybody that not yet before an Oddworld game played, what is Oddworld now precise?
Lorne: We wanted games make with more depth and characterization by which everything turns round the central figure in the story. Gamers must feel sympathize self real agreements with this person and with they. Moreover try we the action / adventure genre to a higher level to lift by which amusements also central state and that want we reach through humor on a sarcastic manner in Oddworld to use.
XBW: Your view on the life, gaming and creativity differently than each other games developer is. How comes that?
Lorne: I do not know spent it, perhaps surplus time only as a child. – Laughs – No, on the first place you have for the developing of games a large group getalenteerde men necessarily. And in such a way I want to be considered the boss of the business (Oddworld Inhabitants) and the most drafts through me, may underestimate you never the value of the team. And a tremendous team makes all difference in the world. But what I think that Oddworld so differently makes… Sherry McKenna, my partner, is the boss and she has a hope experience with the making of films. But I have convinced commit her a games on to direct. She loves computergraphics and I want to make computergraphics only they wild film in Hollywood. And I believed that computergraphics uses could become more story to tell. This was ten years ago and Toy Story not yet once had been brought out thus an investment in animatiefilms make was yet too ambitious and especially too expensively. Consequently I said against her: “We can games make and I promise your Sherry, that we games will make with characters which you of will hold”. Consequently a hope of our personal, artistic passion and the reflection of the world as we that see is what we in our games stop. Our games have not been designed asks to what the market and will ask also not to a filmlicentie. We do not want to make games with more expression, more feeling…just a product.
XBW: Oddworld: Strangers Wrath comes over a few months out. Just as Munch’s Oddysee, Strangers Wrath a Xbox Exclusive will become. What is there happened at the same time the Playstation 2 version?
Lorne: De Playstation 2 version something was not had planned we. Our target was to be utilized the Xbox optimally. Only then we a contract drew with Electronic Physician thought they that they also well a PS2 version could make. We found the excellent and supported EA in that insofar as possible. And straight after the press release of Strangers Wrath became also town said that the game indeed on the PS2 would come out. But after various negotiations with other developers, that for EA the PS2 version had must make, came they it really behind that this surplus time and money will expenses. The difference between the Xbox release and the PS2 release will usual much too large be through which finally decided is alone to focus on the Xbox.
XBW: It sit a hope amusing bes in Oddworld and with Stranger appears it on it that you a new kind be have created. What is Stranger for an orphans?
Lorne: That a part of the mystery whose Stranger is is. During the playing, you come always more over him to know and in the story, a number sit interesting plot surprises. Only just as in a film want you do not know how a character self gradually develop and what it yet all will happen., . I can you well say that the beginning of the game, and how you think that it will end, two total different worlds be.
XBW: In the previous parts, underlying thoughts below which environment pollution roll, a large played with which you an errand wanted overbrengen. Has Strangers Wrath also so’n errand? As yes, how rings that?
Lorne: Yes, that errand in it sit certainly. It will would contain no Oddworld game its as that no strong errand. And the errand for us is not ‘do this’ or ‘do that’, but try you especially thinking to set. And what we think comes later. In Abe, the theme’s industrialized cattle assimilation, slaughterhouses and the exploitation of third world were land for cheap production of first world consumers articles. And in Munch the over tests on animals and especially over the uncontrolled capitalism, what otherwise in each our theme went spell is. Now that in Stranger is the theme more racism and prejudices. You will not see this immediately, but it hangs together with the privatisering of natural sources. That is real the theft of open water, managed to become through a select group of men that then the less begged, the normal people, can exploit.
XBW: About which is for it chosen a first person shooter to make instead of a platform game?
Lorne: We looked never at ourselves as the puzzle-platformer developer and it stretch always action in our games. The controls of Halo its real good controls for shooting and then said we that we what wanted to do by which that shooting controls on someone else manner usefully uses became. On the same moment, we wanted to can see also our character. We tried having an unique experience to create with many action, without near it continuously a weapon in image. I mean, how am the possible with someone to talk meanwhile you a gun in z’n face holds and that but to ignore. Therefore wanted we the borders between first and third person view blur and that it at you was in order to fixed which of the views you on different moments use. In third person view, you have a hope physical violence and you can you fast move, in contrast till the first person view. Only then you have prevent your weapon with the living ammunitie. And here you can want to make lends a choice between stealth and agressive games, because the different ammo self for the different options good. With all these choices everybody can going out its own speelstijl and strategies develop and is wanted to reach that what we.
XBW: If you a choice had to make from the Oddworld characters, who will then your favorite be? Abe, Munch or Stranger?
Lorne: Abe always a special spot in my heart will have. On this moment is the screenplay for Abe rounded off thus who knowledge have we shortly an Abe film, but about that yet over is negotiated., . But I love quite awful Stranger, under others because he physique normally quite strong is, but from in again more faintly than Abe. If you it at my partner Sherry would ask, then will they at the same time Abe say. But the truth is that we work at someone else persons, a new person, before a new Xbox game. And he would be absolute my favorite, but he is yet much madder, he has real serious problems!
XBW: De style of the game is quite otherwise in comparison till the other Oddworld games. Has it gotten a western coat, about which?
Lorne: We wanted a surroundings make that the gamer would recognize and the territory of Oddworld more expand. In the past, Oddworld was more the Third World by which the lake a mix was of old ruines and modern industry. But in reality here a whole times period sit in between and one of that periods was the American West, pioneers, the colonization of Australia. We chose could value for the ‘western flavour’, because we also the indias attitude. They ignored the pioneers that meanwhile the natural sources wanted to take in and tried right of the indias off to come. Therefore the theme of the American West was knit perfectly round Oddworld out to.
XBW: how long does the Strangers Wrath last from to play and holds the game your geboeid?
Lorne: In a good detailed game design must the varition sit in the choices that you as player can make. I played the game this morning for someone that already quite awful many of the game had played thus I said against him: “Knew you already that you this could”? On which he at the same time amazed reacted of “No, that have I yet never done. I must that at the same time will do!” Thus varition comes in the form of on how many manners you something can reach. As example (see third part demonstration) : some will say of ‘I go via the door so to within and bang everybody down’, after which they then complete under fire are taken but well can defeat, while someone else the defense on the sneaking shooter manner will do. Someone else and prevent will say do again of ‘I it totally in third person view and I smack they all broken and I throw they in fans’. Your own choices make where you best with grade crossing can stands here thus centrally. You become not forced the game on one particular manner to play. When you the game for the first time play, will you it probably so’n twelve until fifteen hour with busy be, dependent on their attacks methods during the game and or they everything want to comb. Only take especially the time for the game, so that your knowledge which you are, where you to go and where you with busy are, so that you really concerned hit by the character and the story.
XBW: With Abe, the possible possession was to be taken of your enemy. Will that also again possible in Strangers Wrath or in other future Oddworld games are?
Lorne: Each turn as we Abe will use, will your also possession can take of your enemy. And Munch was a character that the controls get could over robots. All characters that we develop will again own skills get. Stranger has first / person view and living ammunitie, compete will have that Abe never. We uniquely want to make each hero with its own skills, on which they are recognized also on the games market.
XBW: will Abe (and Munch) return spell in a new adventure platform?
Lorne: If we a new Abe and Munch title would develop, what I well very gladly would want, then will that this new engine well whole cool its and will for intense action see to. But we will see. It is a question of time and partners and when the sense would have. Moreover want we also an Abe want to make and in such a way have we about that further yet nothing concretely over, then is the logically that it also a new Abe game comes that the same story line follows.
XBW: Over that film, the negotiations all fruits throw off?
Lorne: We all long in discussion, but we are want to do it on the hard manner. We want the film self make and the draft do not deliver at someone else studio in the hope that they a good tough job manage. What Pixar, the subject concerned piquant would be for them too. And that is right what we want to reach, we want yet neat a little piquanter than the rests be. I find Pixar really tremendous, but there is discovers is a territory what not yet. And as everything good will be we one of the first that that territory may discover.
XBW: What think you that the next generation consoles us will bring?
Lorne: A whole lot headache. – lauching - That the ‘o my god, we is must build a new engine’ answer. But the becoming difficult systems with to work. And the excitements of what they can yield state in contrast with the extra time that necessarily is the games also good to let turn on this consoles. And what you especially must not do as a games developer is so much as possible. These lesson I learned with Munch’s Oddysee. I wanted surplus and I had to let do the team surplus. And that was unrealistic. Also now again, with Stranger I have let do the team surplus and in such a way we have the gotten, have must work the team really too fast. They so had been driven that I they actual only with trouble to house steered got, otherwise were they day and night continued. For next games must we look how we really the same can reach, but on someone else manner and in less time. But the next generation, men must real quite careful and quite clever be, for it will difficult become, ‘it’s gonna be a bitch’.
Conclusion
Now that I look back on a day that especially consisted of many watches am I really not disaffectedly. On the contrary, I want to go think almost as a Lorne self. The manner on which he compete clear tries to make and how he over particular affairs thinks. It is usual a very fascinating man that full passion tell can over its life's work. What Strangers Wrath, about this I have been concerned also dreadfully enthousiastically over. I had never seen the game yet good in action, but Lorne has treated all basis elements exhaustively. Everything he says in the interview over the gameplay knocks. A seam lynx transition between first and third person view sees to alternate for a pleasant and make especially the different types living ammunitie it very amusing with it to experiment. You have the game really self in the hand and can do in which you meditate have. You are Stranger, and that feels good!
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XboxWorld's review (+interview with LL)
